


See You Again

by Ath3na_Shadow



Category: Captain America (Movies), Downton Abbey
Genre: Family, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-19
Updated: 2015-05-19
Packaged: 2018-03-31 05:42:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3966541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ath3na_Shadow/pseuds/Ath3na_Shadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'So let the light guide your way, Hold every memory as you go, And every road you take, Will always lead you home.' See You Again by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth *One-Shot*</p>
            </blockquote>





	See You Again

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I don’t know why I thought about this storyline, but it just came to me when re-watching Downton Abbey. It’s only a one-shot but I don’t feel that this truly needs any more story to it. The title is of the same song (which I’m sure you all know about it) from the Furious 7 Soundtrack by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth.
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plotline and personalities.

**See You Again**

He was heading home, it didn’t mean he was a coward, though. He was just able to go home early, unfortunately, due to the shrapnel embedded in his left knee cap, giving him a limp and unfit for duty. If it wasn’t for Captain America he would be dead at the age of twenty-four, along with the rest of his brothers–they were one of the many lucky ones during this terrible war to have the American hero save them from both the Nazi’s and Hydra. At least he was able to serve his country for the last seven years since the war with Germany has begun–a war that seems worse than the First World War.

Now, as the military car drove down the still gravel road, George Crawley was all too happy and relieved to see the sight of his only home that he’s ever known. Downton Abbey was surely a sight for sore eyes, as was the Bates family, John, Anna, and their two children Margaret and Ian–whom were not children anymore–as they all had a hold of suitcases. They seem to have just arrived as well, possibly from the market and giving their home for shelter to those who have come up north away from London due to all the bombing.

Joseph Molesley the first footman, Andy the second footman, and Daniel Smith the hall boy had come out of the servant’s area and begun helping taking what seemed to be groceries from the Bates’ car. When the car came to a stop next to the Bates’ car, it was Charles Carson who immediately came out, looking both surprised and relieved to see him. The old butler–despite training someone new to take his place, and his grandfather telling him to retire–was still working at Downton Abbey. He had come up to the car and opened the door, George not able to help but smile at him.

When Carson noticed that he wasn’t getting out, he frowned with confusion before he looked up at the driver that had walked to the back and popped open the trunk, taking out a folded wheel chair. Understanding drawn to him, Carson immediately went to take the wheel chair from the driver as Ian immediately came to take his bag. Even if he wanted to tell him no, George knew that the servants were all loyal to the Crawley family and if they were off duty they would still help out if it was needed.

Parking the wheel chair close by, Carson helped George out of the car and onto the chair. He sighs, leaning back as he smiled to the driver, who handed him his crutches. “Thank you, Sgt. Simon.”

Simon smiled, closing the passenger side door before saluting George. “The honor was mine, Capt. Crawley.”

George sighs, having told the older man to call him by his birth name. But having heard what he had done and that he had followed Captain America into Nazi **_and_** Hydra territory, Simon treated him like he was royalty. He saluted the man back, nodding in farewell, before looking back at Carson, who gave him a curt nod and turned towards the only home George ever knew. The Bates smiled and congratulated on his return, as well as grateful to see him alive, before entering the home that was full of life and abuzz with activity as both nurses, doctors, and servants entered the library where no doubt most of the injured have been staying in.

“Everyone is at the breakfast room, Master George.” Carson tells him.

George smiles, his heart thudding with anticipation. “Good, I get to see everyone all at once.” coming to the door, George stopped the butler, grinning. “If you do not mind, I like to make an entrance.”

At Carson nod, he leaned down and put the brake on the wheel chair. Once George was standing on his own and not needing his help, Carson couldn’t help the smile on his face and turns to open the doors, keeping them slightly open but not revealing George just yet.

“My lord,” Carson starts in his usual stern voice, but not able to stop that smile. “Lady Mary.”

Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham, looked up at Carson than did a double take, frowning at the now older gentleman. “Carson, what is it?”

“There is a gift that had arrived only just a few moments ago from Master Crawley.”

Nearly everyone looked tensed at this, frowning at what the gift could be. Taking that as his cue, George made his way inside the room, pushing at the doors. The entire room gasped into silence before his mother, Mary Josephine, stood and made her way towards him, taking him into her arms, crying. George smiles, tears in his own eyes, as he hugged his mother just as tightly, grateful not for the last time that Captain America had saved his life. The others then stood and went to hug George, grateful that he was alive and back.

Once everyone settled, they all sat down at the table and George went on to tell the story of how Captain America had saved his and his many brother-in-arms from being trapped in a corner in northern Italy. He told them also of how after the show of their bravery and having held out for so long, that the Captain had asked him and his men personally to fight alongside him–until his injury to his left knee, which would have been more severe if not for him.

“If I knew that my letter would reach this Captain America through all this war, I would send him my thanks and gratitude of bringing my boy back home.” Mary states tearfully, wiping at her tears and smiling.

George smiles, rubbing his thigh of his left leg as his knee begun to throb. “You might get the chance after this war is over. Rumor has it that both the Nazi’s and Hydra are starting to lose the battle thanks to not only Captain American and his team of SSR. Soon this war will finally end.”

“And not a moment too soon.” Robert states tiredly.

Edith suddenly hums, bringing down her cup, a confused frown on her face. “Why **_did_** the American’s take so long to enter the war anyhow?”

“Pearl Harbor.” George tells his aunt. “The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, believing that the peaceful acts and talks were useless. President Roosevelt felt that it was their way of declaring war on America.”

“And to war they went.” Robert states.

Cora grins, “Which is why it is wise never to anger America. Something that your father and grandfather knows all too well.”

The group laughed as Robert nods in agreement.

* * *

Of course, who would have thought that that one day when Captain America saved his life would be the last time anyone ever see him? George hadn’t thought so and was severely sadden by the news of Captain America missing in action and possibly dead after a search of nearly a year for the wreckage that he should have been. That didn’t stop him from telling stories of the American hero to his children and then grandchildren, and then his great-grandchildren. However, by that time Captain America has been reduced to only urban myth in the modern world. Only those who had served alongside him and his men and had told their children and so on and so forth knew the truth.

It was only seventy years later that the urban myth had become the truth and everyone knew of the WWII hero by both name and stories.

Seventy years late but, at the age of ninety-one George felt that he had finally got the chance to say his thanks. George asked both his great-grandson, Thomas, who was in the British Armed Forces, to send a letter a few days after the Captain had woken and his great-granddaughter, Eva, who worked as an MI6 agent, feeling that his time was soon running out. As he waited for both his hero and savior at his home in _Downton Abbey_ –and he prayed that he had answered his grandson’s letter and his request to see him–George reflected on his life as far as he could remember.

He still had the limp, which of course he knew he was to have, but that didn’t stop or slow him down in making his life and keeping _Downton Abbey_ afloat and in their family. The drama that came to living as a socialite, the scandal–all of which, of course, all the children knew growing up there–came to his mind and his dreams in a blur. It was mostly his friends and his good friends that he remembers perfectly. His oldest cousin, Sybil Branson, coming to live back at _Downton Abbey_ after living in America for twenty-six years. Especially since it was a terrible time for anyone to travel from America to England during the war. She died at the age of eighty-eight, four years before, in her sleep.

Then his other cousin, Marigold Dawson (née Gregson) died a year later at the age of eighty-six at the hospital after she had a heart attack. Her mother did remarried, but she was never able to have children again, especially after the four miscarriages and the last one giving her an infection that had the doctors to do a hysterectomy. It didn’t much matter, or course, as her step-father loved Marigold as though she was his own flesh and blood.

Then there were his good friends, the Bates. Ian died during the Vietnam War at the age of thirty-six, leaving a wife, a son and daughter behind. Margaret, however, lived until she was seventy-five during surgery. There was a complication when they were trying to remove the cancer from her breasts–which at the time we did not know about the signs of breast cancer until it was too late.

So, he was the last Crawley of the era that had brought on so many changes and if George was honest with himself, he couldn’t wait to finally have the rest and see his family once again. His children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren were in the room with him, George never having felt so much love since his return back from WWII. The only person who was missing was his great-granddaughter, Eva, whom was called away it seemed the night before.

“It’s all right, dad.” his second youngest, Robert, tells him with a smile. “It’s all right to let go now.”

George smiles, who looked so much like his grandfather and why they had named him after his name sake. “I know Robert, I just want a little longer with my family.”

Suddenly a knock was heard and the door opening to reveal a smiling Eva entered the crowded room. “Hey granddad, I have a bit of a surprise for you. Are you up for it?”

George frowns but not able to stop his smile at seeing one of his favorite descendants. “I am up for anything you give me, darling.”

Nodding, Eva looks back at the open door and nods her head. And in comes strolling is the one and only Captain America. Many of his family gasped and gape at the man who still looked the same back during WWII, smiling shyly and standing as strong as he portrayed his military background. Even when he didn’t want to, the Captain commanded the attention from everyone in the room.

“No pictures and no sharing that the Captain is here.” George told his younger descendants, whom seemed ready to take out their phones.

“Maybe one picture.” the Captain tells him, grinning shyly. “For me, at least.”

George gives his nod of agreement, which was quickly taken before his coughing begun and hurt his entire fragile body. Eva moved forward quickly, pouring water into a cup as her uncle, Robert, helped him sit up slightly so he was able to take a drink. Sighing, he waved off Eva and was grateful when his son let him lie back down on the bed. Smiling at the Captain, George bid him forward while Robert ushered the others out of the room as they all have said their goodbyes to him. Eva opened the side drawer and handed him a letter that he has kept for seventy years, having thought that he would be buried with it, and was all too grateful that he wasn’t.

“Thank you my darling.” he told Eva, taking hold of her hand with a wide smile.

Eva smiles and leans down to kiss his cheek, a few of her tears falling on to him. “Love you granddad. I’ll miss your stories.” she tells him quietly.

“And I am going to miss your lovely smile, my darling.” George tells her just as quietly.

George smiles, wiping her tears before letting her go. Eva turns and nods to the Captain, who nods in return, touching her shoulder with regret and sympathy, before the door closes quietly behind her. The Captain stands slightly awkward by his side, but smiling and George couldn’t help but chuckle quietly. It’s as though nothing has changed since WWII, but of course with the Captain having had that serum running through his veins, it was all possible the reason why he still looked the way he did way back then.

“It’s good to see you, Captain. I was happy to hear that you have been found and you were still alive.”

George held out his right arm to the man, who took it gently but giving a firm handshake. “The pleasure is all mine, Cpt. Crawly. And, please, call me Steve.”

“And you may call me George.” taking a shallow breath, he took hold of the letter that was lying next to him and handed it to Steve. “This is a letter from my mother that she was never able to write to you when word of your death was announced.” Steve takes it, nodding with emotion as he wasn’t sure what to take of a letter that waited as long as he did to finally be given and to be read. “You don’t have to read it now, but the reason I wanted to see you was to finally thank you for saving me all those years ago. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have met my wife and had my children and lived to see both my grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”

Steve flushed but smiled nonetheless. “You were part of the SSR, I couldn’t let one of my teammates fall to the hands of the enemy.”

George smiles, feeling himself start to slowly slip into darkness. “And I was grateful to have been on your side, Steve.”

Steve sits on the chair and brought it closer to the bed, taking George’s hand. “It’s all right, George. You can let go.”

“Know that you are always welcome here at _Downton Abbey_ , Steve.” George tells him softly, smiling as he close his eyes, feeling himself start to slowly slip. “Thank you, it truly was great to finally see you again, Captain.”

With a final breath, George finally let go, Steve bowing his head and giving off a small prayer for the man whose bravery he had admired. With a sigh Steve stood and touched George’s shoulder as a final farewell and walked away. The man didn’t remember much, but he knew that he had gave his condolence to the family, thanking Eva for having been able to contact him, as well as the agents that helped fly him across the Atlantic. Now he found himself in Central Park, standing in front of the Bethesda Fountain with the sun setting and reading down at the letter in his hand that George’s mother had written for him.

Words he had needed to hear, and hoped to hear when he needs them most again.

_To Captain America,_

_May this letter find you after this terrible war has finally ended and you are back home, safe and sound. I merely wanted to thank you for saving my son. I am sure that many mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, wives, and children are grateful for you and your team having been there in time to save their loved ones. From the deepest of my heart, you are a true hero that came as a light within this very dark time and restore the hope that all had seemed to have lost over the years._

_A friend of my father was there when you have received your serum and knew of your background. Know that you are always welcome here at_ Downton Abbey _, as well as family should you ever need it. We may not be what you are used to, and we may have more drama that the usual family, but I promise that we are perfectly sane. For the most part. Know that my mother is also an American from New York, so I am sure that we will be able to adapt to you fairly quickly. Not to mention that my mother would love to interact with another American while my father would love to swamp war stories with you._

_I would leave you here and I pray that these parting words would help you when you need them most, Captain. Despite what many may think or regret what you have done, a hero always comes at the time when we need them most and a price that can either be high or low, depending on the situation that they find themselves in. Always follow your heart, my dear Captain, for it knows what it is that you may need most and lead you to where you are truly needed. If you go astray, that is all right, it merely means that you are human and not an immortal as many make you to believe._

_So let the light guide your way. Hold every memory as you go. And every road you take...Will always lead you home._

_Do not ever forget that._

_Yours truly,_

_Lady Mary Josephine Crawley._


End file.
